A new dawn
by Ann Murry
Summary: When Matt, Newly and Festus hunt down fugitive brothers, things do not go according to plan!
1. Chapter 1

"The Farrington brothers, Henry and Levi," Matt said passing a poster to Newly and Festus. "I just received a telegram from the Marshal in Hayes. It seems they robbed the train as it passed though, killed three people, stole a cash box with $10,000 in it and they're headed this way."

Festus sipped a cup of coffee before he spoke. "So we just going to sit and wait for them Matthew," he said knowingly watching Dillion stand up.

"No," Matt said picking up his gun belt and put it on. "I'm not risking Dodge. Burke will keep an eye on things here, I need you both with me!"

"Sure thing Marshal," Newly said with a nod.

"Will do Matthew," Festus replied. "When do we leave?"

"In an hour," he said grabbing his hat. "I'll meet you here."

Stepping out onto the boardwalk, he crossed the dirt street and entered the Long Branch though the double doors.

The hardest part of his job wasn't the endless chasing of criminals or the seemingly endless shoot outs, it was the saying goodbye each time to Kitty.

"Hi Cowboy," she said looking up from her ledger.

"Kitty," Matt replied tipping his hat up.

"Can I buy you a cup of coffee," she asked with a smile.

"Afraid not," Matt said quietly.

"Where now," Kitty said with a sigh.

"Not sure," Matt replied brushing her hand with his. "Some where between here and Hayes."

"Do you have to," she said softly already knowing the answer.

"Yes," he said making eye contact with the woman he loved. "I do. Festus and Newly are going with me."

Kitty nodded as she closed her eyes a moment. "Just be careful," she said once she opened them again.

Matt took her hand and grinned mischievously. "I always am," he said brushing the hand with his lips. "When I get back, I'll make it up to you."

"Promise?" Kitty said with a smile.

Matt nodded as he turned and headed out the door.

"Doc," Matt said meeting the doctor on the boardwalk in front of the Long Branch.

"Matt," Doc said putting his hands in his pockets. "Festus tells me your going after the Farrington brothers?"

"That's right," Matt said.

"Well," Doc said tugging at his earlobe. "I've read a few stories about those boys in the paper."

"Don't worry Doc," Matt said. "We'll be careful."

Doc swiped his mustache as Matt crossed the street and climbed onto his horse.

Kitty came thought the double doors just in time to see the three lawmen leave town.

"It never gets any easier," she said once they were out of site.

"It sure dont," Doc replied stepping into the Long Branch.

Setting up camp that night, Festus fed the fire while Matt and Newly cleaned their revolvers and rifles.

"Where do you suppose we'll find them boys Matthew," Festus said accepting his freshly cleaned gun from Newly.

"Don't really know Festus," Matt said thoughtfully. "I would stick to the canyons and foothills out by the old mines if it were me."

"Harder to track," Festus replied in agreement.

"Course that's why I got you," he said.

"Ain't nobody can track them boys like I can," Festus replied. "They got no more chance than a cricket in a hen house."

"That's what I'm talking about," Matt said lying back on his bedroll. "We'll leave at first light."

The next morning the three lawmen took the trail less traveled in search of the two wanted criminals.

"Look here Matthew," Festus said leading Ruth by his tether. "Fresh tracks."

"Let's go," Matt said galloping with Newly and Festus close behind.

As the horses hooves clicked and clacked the sound reverberated along the canyon walls.

Coming to a split in the middle of the canyon, Matt stopped. "Which way Festus?" Matt asked looking around.

Festus climbed down off his mule and kneeled down to check the track marks but before he could a shot rang out from the canyon above just barely missing Festus by a few inches.

Festus slapped Ruth in the flank to get him to run out of harms way as he ran for cover behind a few large boulders.

Watching Matt and Newly take cover as well, he looked up scanning the cliffs for who ever fired the shot.

"Festus," Matt said pointing to the hill man's left.

Festus caught a glimpse of a figure as it went over the edge of the canyon.

Matt watched as his friend gave chase. "Newly," he said looking around. "Do you see the other one?"

"Not yet," he said as Matt stood up.

"Marshal," Newly said as a second figure headed in the opposite direction Festus had gone.

"Follow Festus," Matt said. "I'm going after this one!"

Newly nodded and headed in the direction Festus had gone.

As Matt chased the outlaw though the canyon, they traded shots back and forth.

Sliding on the shale and the pebbles on the canyon floor made for dangerous footing and one wrong move could send either man over the edge.

"Stop Farrington," Matt yelled. "If you give yourself up now, it'll go easier on you!"

"Not a chance Marshal," the man yelled swinging around, he fired off a shot.

Matt dogged the bullet easily and fired off his own shot which caught the outlaw mid section.

As the man went down, he turned, gun drawn, and waited for Dillon to caress the ridge.

"Not so fast," Matt said kicking the gun away.

Farrington laughed as Matt leveled his gun at the outlaw. "At least you won't have to see me hang Marshal," the man said before closing his eyes.

Matt leaned down and made sure the outlaw was dead before rising.

Scanning the cliffs, he slowly made his way down and went in search of Festus and Newly.

Newly had followed as Festus lead the chase for the remaining Farrington brother.

Festus ducked behind a boulder as the boy returned fire.

From his vantage point above where Festus and the boy were engaged in a fire fight, Newly could see that Festus had the advantage of being higher in the canyon.

As Newly slowly made his way down, the boy darted for an old mine entrance with Festus following.

Newly heard the gunshots only moments before a thunderous roar filled the canyon walls and as he watched the entrance to the mine disappeared in a hail of boulders and dust. 


	2. Chapter 2

Newly waited for the dust to settle before making an attempt to approach the entrance of the mine.

Pushing against the debris proved pointless, so he walked along the parameter of the collapse looking for any weak spots.

"Newly," Matt said racing over to join him. "What happened? Where's Festus?"

"He followed one of those Farrington boys inside the mine Marshal," Newly said turning back to the debris. "Next thing I knew, it caved in!"

Matt tipped his hat up as he looked at the massive amount of debris and the reality of the situation sank in. "We've got to find a way in!"

"Maybe an air shaft or a second entrance," Newly said hopeful.

Matt nodded at he looked around. "I'll see what I can find, you try to move some of this."

Newly nodded as Matt looked for a way to get up and over the rock slide, knowing that any shafts left over for air into the mine would have been made to come out some where above the mine and above the rock slide.

"See anything?" Newly said as Matt reached the top.

"No," he said clinching his jaw. "If there was anything here, it may have collapsed with the cave in."

Newly picked at the collapsed rock with his bare hands until he could no longer move the boulders.

"We're going to need some help," Matt said after making his way back down the canyon. "Dodge is closer than Hayes."

"I'll go," Newly volunteered as Matt nodded.

"Alright, bring back as many men as you can. We'll need shovels, picks, blasting powder and Newly," Matt said grabbing the deputy's arm. "Don't let Kitty come out here...just in case things don't come out the way we want."

"I'll do my best Marshal," Newly replied with a nod. "But you know how she and Doc can be."

Matt grinned. "You better get going," he said looking at the sun. "If you ride straight there, you can be back by night fall."

Newly nodded as he took off after his horse, Matt undid his coat, took it off and then started in on removing the rocks and boulders one by one.

Levi Farrington squinted his eyes in the darkness, coughing as the dust settled, he got up onto his knees and realized he didn't have his gun.

Feeling around frantically in the darkness for it, he stopped when he heard the click of a cocked gun.

"Stop right there mister," Festus said as the boy looked up.

"What you planning on doing Deputy," he said raising his hands. "It looks like we ain't going no where for a while."

"Well that's just fine with me," Festus said evenly. "I ain't got no where to be."

The boy smiled as he lunged for Festus and as they tangled up, the deputy's gun was thrown and in the insuring rush for it, the two didn't feel the ground start to shake.

The boy rolled over onto his back and using both feet, he kicked Festus away, just as a new on slot of rocks and boulders fell from the walls of the mine.

(Dodge)

Kitty smiled at a patron standing in front of her as she passed him a beer and with a nod, he took it and turned around to find a table.

"Slow day?" Doc said checking the time on his watch.

"Looks that way," she said looking at his beer. "You've hardly touched your beer."

"Just not in the drinking mood I guess," Doc said curtly.

"Newly's back!" Sam said glancing out the window.

Kitty flashed a smile in Doc's direction as she moved toward the doors of the Long Branch.

Newly was talking loudly to several men and then pointed toward the general store before trotting over to the Saloon.

"Well Newly," she said as the man ran in. "What's the rush? Where's Matt and Festus?"

"That's why I've come back for help Ms. Kitty," Newly said as the color from her face drained. "Marshal's fine ma'am," he said. "But there was a cave in at an old mine, one of the Farrington boys ran inside before the collapse."

Doc shuffled over to join the conversation. "So if Matt's fine and you're here, where's Festus?"

"Well that's the problem Doc," Newly said slowly. "Festus followed that boy into the mine." 


	3. Chapter 3

Matt ran his sleeve over his forehead to wipe away the sweat from his brow when he seen three wagons stop in the canyon below.

"Marshal," an older man said stepping aside as three young men stepped forward. "My boys here can help."

"Well thank you Tom," Matt said as the teenagers started digging in with picks and shovels.

"What can I do Marshal?" Sam asked stepping forward.

"You and Newly set up some lanterns where we'll be working," Matt suggested. "It'll be dark soon."

Matt sighed as Kitty stepped forward. "I'm going to start a fire and make coffee, I also brought food and don't think your sending me away," she said when he opened his mouth to speak. "Festus is my friend to!"

Matt nodded as Kitty moved to collect some wood for a camp fire. "Doc," Matt said knowing the old man was most worried out of all of them.

"Just tell me," he said looking around. "Have you heard anything, any calls for help, anything?"

"No," Matt admitted grimly as Doc nodded.

Matt and Doc both knew the situation seemed helpless but until they actually got inside to see for themselves, they also knew they couldn't give up.

"Just let me know if you do," Doc said shuffling away to help Kitty.

"Deputy...deputy...can you hear me!"

Festus scrunched up his eyes as he tried to clear them and focus on the voice that called out to him. "I hear ya," he said slowly looking around. "Are ya hurt boy?"

"Yes, you gotta help me," Levi said painfully scratching at the rocks and beams that covered his legs.

Festus started to move but a sudden sharp pain from his right arm stopped him. Unable to see and gasping for air from the pain, he used his left hand to feel out what the problem was.

"Did ya hear me lawman," Levi said his breaths coming quicker. "I need yer help!"

"Can't help you boy," Festus said his eyes closing. "Ma whole right side buried! Can't help myself, right now."

"Deputy," Levi replied gasping. "Stay awake, don't you go to sleep on me!"

Festus lifted his head which swam from the effort of moving. Pulling his left hand away, he noticed the sticky wetness of blood and grimaced. "Peers we both in trouble now boy," he said laying his head back as darkness enveloped him once more.

Matt, along with Newly and Sam's help, worked though the night pulling away one boulder after another as the others used picks to loosen the area around them.

"Marshal," one of the boys said as Matt looked up.

"What is it James" Matt said making his way over to where the boy was standing.

"I found something," James said bending down, he pulled out Festus hat from the debris.

"We may be getting closer," Matt said. "Let's keep going!"

"Marshal," Tom said approaching him. "I think I can save us a lot of time if we blast a whole in that rock slide"

"Won't it create another cave in?" Newly asked.

"Not if you do it right," Tom said looking at the young deputy. "I've worked plenty with blasting powder Mr. Newly."

"Alright," Matt said clinching his jaw. "Let's try it!"

Festus awoke with a start when he heard a loud blast, the ache in his right arm reduced to a numbness he had never felt before before which was a more welcome than the sharp pain he had experience before.

"Boy," Festus rasped trying to lift his head. "Help maybe coming! You hear me boy?"

But there was no answer as Festus closed his eyes. 


	4. Chapter 4

"James," Tom said looking at his eldest son. "You and David grab some of those beams and shore up this hole so the Marshal and Mr. Newly can get into the mine."

The boys set to work as the farmer turned to Matt and Newly. "Don't know how long this will hold Marshal," he said indication the entrance.

"Thanks Tom," Matt said taking a lamp from Newly. "Hopefully we'll be quick."

"Here Newly," Doc said handing the younger man his black bag.

"Thanks Doc," Newly said with a slight smile. "If I need you, I'll come back to get you."

Doc nodded as he stepped away, Kitty smiled at both of them. "Just bring him out Matt," she said as Matt worked his body into the jagged entrance of the mine.

Newly did the same and once inside, neither man could believe what they were seeing. Boulders, wooden beams and trestles for rail cars were strewn all over the floor of the mine.

"They didn't have time to get far Marshal," Newly said as Matt nodded.

"Alright, let's start looking," he said carefully making his way down into the mine.

Newly lifted his lantern high into the air to give himself the most light. "See anything?" Matt said looking around nearby.

"Not yet Marshal," Newly replied as the ground suddenly vibrated and more rocks fell around them.

"We have to find them and get out of here before this whole thing collapses," Matt said looking up.

Newly did the same and only then did he notice the deep cracks that ran along the sides and all over the top of the mine.

"I'll check down this way," Matt said pointing to a mine shaft on his right.

"And I'll check down here," Newly replied starting down the mine shift nearest to him.

Matt had not gone but a few feet when he heard Newly call's for help.

Rounding the corner of the shaft, he stopped next to where Newly was kneeling.

"He's dead Marshal," Newly said as he looked over Levi's body.

Both men looked at each other when they heard a low moan coming from nearby.

"Festus," Newly said swinging his lamp around.

"Newly!" Matt said when he seen an arm sticking out from under a collapsed beam.

Newly scrambled over and together, he and Matt lifted the beam off the deputy.

As Newly knelt down and felt for a pulse, Matt started brushing the shale and other rocks away from the deputy.

"Newly," Matt said when he got down to where Festus right arm was buried under the debris.

Newly moved his hands over the deputy's shoulder and down as far as he could. "It's probably broken," he said looking up at the Marshal. "And it's pinned in there good."

"We have to get him out of here," Matt said as the ground under them vibrated again.

"That arm's pretty bad Marshal," Newly said. "I'm going to get Doc."

"Alright," Matt said evenly. "I'm going to clear off these rocks and try to get that arm out."

Newly headed back to the entrance of the mine as Matt set to work.

"Mr. Newly," Tom said as the younger man stepped out. "Did you find them, that ain't going to hold much longer."

"Yes sir," he said looking toward Doc. "That Farrington boy is dead Doc but Festus is alive."

"How bad is he hurt," Doc asked bracing himself for the worst?"

"Can't tell yet," Newly said. "His arm is pinned, the Marshal is working on freeing him so we can get him out. I'm going to need your help."

Doc nodded as he started for the entrance to the mine, Newly continued. "I'm worried about that arm Doc," he said running a hand along his brow. "I won't know how much damage until we get him out."

"Then let's not waste any time," Doc said following the younger man though the mine.

"Matt," Doc said kneeling beside the deputy.

"Newly," Matt said pushing against a large boulder. "Help me move this!"

Doc checked Festus heart rate before using his hands to feel for any broken bones as Matt and Newly struggled to unpin the deputy's arm.

As the ground vibrated, sending shale and rocks down on top of them, Doc covered Festus with his own body as Tom poked his head into the entrance of the mine.

"You better hurry Marshal," he said. "This whole place is caving in!"

"Matt," Doc said urgently. "We got to get him out of here."

"I'm working on it Doc," Matt said as he and Newly stopped pushing the boulder.

Doc swiped at his mustache as he got to his feet. "Matt," he said slowly. "Festus is awfully weak, if we don't get that arm free soon, I'm going to have to do something."

"I'm not sure I understand Doc," Matt said.

"If I have to," Doc said making eye contact with the lawman. "I can amputate that arm right here." 


	5. Chapter 5

A low moan from Festus silenced any protest Matt may have made as Doc fell to his knees at his friends side.

"Festus," Doc whispered as the deputy grimaced in pain."I know it hurts," Doc said putting a gentle hand on the hill man's good shoulder. "I'm going to take care of that."

"Don't," Festus said clutching at Doc's jacket with his good arm, his eyes filled with fear.

"I won't if I don't have to," Doc said gently fully understanding Festus protest.

Reaching into his bag, Doc pulled out a bottle of chloroform and a clean cloth. "Don't worry about anything," he said putting enough of the liquid onto the cloth to keep the hill man unconscious for awhile.

Festus was to weak to fight Doc's efforts as the old physician placed the cloth against his nose and mouth.

After Festus lost consciousness, Doc shook from suppressing his emotions and turned on the Marshal.

"I don't know how your going to do it Matt," he said clinching his jaw. "But you better do something soon."

"Newly," Matt said picking up a piece of a broken beam. "Dig a trench just under that boulder."

Newly used his hands to dig out as much a space as he could when he realized Matt wanted to use the piece of wood to dislodge the boulder pinning Festus arm.

Matt used all his strength to force the beam down and the boulder up, as Newly continued to dig out Festus trapped arm.

"That's it," Newly said placing the injured arm over Festus chest as Doc quickly put on a tourniquet to stench the bleeding and then expertly wrapped it.

"I can't do anything else here," he said looking at Matt and Newly, he moved out of the way so that the two men could get Festus out of the mine and home to Dodge.

(Dodge)

"Is he going to lose it Doc," Newly asked. As a trained medical doctor himself, Newly could plainly see the arm was in bad shape and even though Doc had done what he could to mend the bones, muscle and nerve damage wasn't so easily fixed.

"Crush wounds are complicated Newly," Doc said looking over the plastered arm. "And I can only fix so much, only time will tell."

Newly rubbed his eyes tiredly as he looked out the window. "It's dawn Doc," he said watching the sun rise.

(Long Branch)

Doc stepped though the double doors and ducked.

"Festus!"

The hillman turned as Doc yelled his name. "Why don't you watch where your swinging that thing! You could have knocked me out!"

"Why you old scudder," Festus yelled back while pointing to the plastered arm. "If in you didn't put me in this thing I wouldn't have to watch out where I'm a going!"

"If I didn't put you in that thing?" Doc said indigently. "You may have lost the use of that arm or worse!"

Festus scoffed. "Taint nothin worse than a carrying this thing around all day and tryin to sleep wit it at night. Now when you gonna take it off?"

"Boys," Kitty said slicing though the argument. She handed both men a beer and smiled as Festus tried to get comfortable.

"And stop fidgeting," Doc complained watching the hillman. "You make me nervous just watching you."

Festus swung around to put his back to the cranky old doctor and narrowly missed hitting him in the head.

"That's it!" Doc said ushering the deputy out the door. "I'm taking that cast off right now before you kill someone!"

Newly pulled the cast apart as Doc cleaned and examined the arm.

"Alright Festus," Doc said holding out his own hand. "I want you to squeeze my hand as hard as you can."

Festus slowly wrapped his hand around Doc's and then squeezed, the pressure brought a smile to Doc's face. "That's enough," he said taking off his glasses he put them in their case.

"Well," Festus said moving the arm around. "Can I go now?"

"Yes! You can go," Doc said swiping at his mustache. "Just don't over do it."

"Foot Doc," Festus said heading for the door. "It ain't like I'm gonna go bustin a wild horse!"

"Better not come see me if you do!" Doc yelled as Festus shut the door, he's spurs jingling down the stairs.


End file.
